Kid Fourteen, the moniker of Lebanese musician Khodor Ellaik, takes another inventive turn in his ever changing sonic palette, this time with a western-inspired ditty full of quick wit and self-reflective lyricism in ‘Cowboy Lonely’.
The single is the title track of his upcoming album, whereby “‘Cowboy Lonely’ uses classic western imagery and the figure of the wandering cowboy to express the solitary and tortuous world of a haunted man,” as described in the liner notes.
With a voice that oscillates between a snarl and bursts of raw, emotional power, and now a southern croon, Ellaik's performances feel like a passionate outpouring of emotion that cuts through the noise of loneliness and boredom.
His debut album ‘Dream Kids Never Sleep’ (2016) introduced his unique sound to the world, a mix of lo-fi guitars, driving bass-lines, and haunting synths. In 2018, he released his sophomore effort "Blood-Thick Silence", an album that builds on his earlier work, blending punk sensibilities and noise-pop elements propelled by the driving beat of a drum machine.
His EP ‘Love’ (2020) shows a more literary side of his artistry, as per the liner notes, the “album started out roughly based on the 12 phases of love thoroughly represented in Arabic literature. During the creation process, it slowly shifted into exploring the complexity of human intimacy and how visceral feelings and vulnerability would sound like if all other senses of expression were lost.”
What sets Kid Fourteen apart from his peers is his ability to continuously reinvent himself within each album and at times, track, while still maintaining an instantly recognisable and self-contained sound. We hear this again in the western-driven release, ‘Cowboy Lonely’, where Kid Fourteen takes a more theatrical approach, leaving listeners to wonder what comes next for the versatile artist.
Listen to the track here:
